


Night Terror

by DelightfulDesperation



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Abused Eggsy, Angst with a Happy Ending, Best friend Roxy, Domestic Violence, Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Harry Hart | Galahad/Gary "Eggsy" Unwin, Established Relationship, Gun Violence, Harry Hart Lives, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, Post V-Day, Slight Depictions of Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-19
Updated: 2015-10-19
Packaged: 2018-04-27 04:12:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5033239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelightfulDesperation/pseuds/DelightfulDesperation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Left alone and slipping into a bad headspace, Eggsy has to battle his inner demons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Night Terror

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ProdigalQueer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProdigalQueer/gifts).



> This is a delightful prompt submitted by prodigalqueer on Tumblr. Prompt: Eggsy having a little bit of angst caused by old memories of Dean. And Harry being there to make it a bit better, of course.

A sigh ripped through the calm rooms of the beautifully demure home at the end of the walk in Kensington. Gary “Eggsy” Unwin paced through the lower rooms and fidgeted with his cell phone. After a very sedate afternoon of nothing in particular and no Harry to alleviate his boredom, the unofficial Kingsman agent had lost what little patience he had garnered from his training. 

Glancing out the window to see the darkening sky, he flopped down on the plush couch in the living room and crossed his legs on the coffee table. If Harry would’ve been there, he would have raised such a fuss. A trembling smile broke through on the blonde’s face before falling away. 

Harry would have to be there for that to happen. 

Slowly, Eggsy placed his feet back on the floor and looked over the table to make sure he didn’t leave any marks. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin something of Harry’s. He would never hear the end of it, and his guilt would never let it go neither.

Pulling his cell back out of his pocket, he unlocked the screen and saw the same image that had been there every single time he had looked at it that day. No calls. No messages. Nothing. Huffing in frustration, Eggsy opened up his contacts and hovered his finger over Harry’s number. 

It wouldn’t be hard to call him and leave a message. Done it plenty of times before. Why would this time be any different? Except…what if this was the time he distracted Harry just enough to get killed? Merlin promised nothing overly dangerous, or too strenuous. Harry was priming to assume the title of Arthur. That’s all this mission was. 

Pressing down on Harry’s name, Eggsy hesitated. No, he couldn’t risk it. Scrolling down, the blond stopped at Roxy’s name and tapped the screen, letting the droning ring of the call go through. Harry was alright. 

“’Ello?”

He was _fine_. He had to be…

“Egg Muffin, you okay?”

Eggsy startled and raised the phone to his ear. “Rox, you calling me pet names now?” He tried to instill some humor into his voice but failed miserably.

“I’ll call you what I like whenever I like, if you keep calling when I’m on a mission,” Roxy’s voice flowed with good humor and care. 

Eggsy closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of the couch. “Mission? Ah, Christ, Rox, ‘m sorry. Didn’t mean to bug you like this.”

“It’s not a bother, Eggsy. You okay? You don’t sound very well. Wait, hang on-” Roxy’s voice faded and the violent crack of a gunshot filled up the space. A distant racket through the tiny speaker had Eggsy abruptly sitting up and glancing around the room. He stood back up and paced the dimly lit space, biting his lip to keep from calling out through the phone. The last thing he wanted to do was distract Lancelot. After a few more moments, Roxy’s puffing breaths came back and settled some of the anxiety in Eggsy. “Sorry ‘bout that. Tossers didn’t even care that I was taking a call.”

Eggsy couldn’t help the weak laugh that escaped him. “Wish I could be out there with you.”

“You will be, love. Soon enough. Merlin said something about a crime ring opening shop in Dubai. Maybe he’ll let us swing it together?”

“That would be ace,” the blond slowed his pacing and looked over to the dark kitchen. A frown tugged on his lips.

“I’ll put in a good word with Merlin.”

“…Thanks, Roxy.”

The line was silent as Eggsy slowly crossed over to the kitchen and looked around. The thought of food crossed his mind, but without Harry here, he didn’t feel he had the right to go nosing around the cupboards. Besides, eating alone…

A rattling sigh left Eggsy before he could stop it. A just as despondent sigh echoed his own through the line. “What’s wrong, Eggsy? I might not have time, but I have enough.”

Eggsy scratched the back of his head and couldn’t help another sigh. “It’s nothing, Rox. Promise.”

“Eggsy. **Talk**.”

He wanted to talk to someone. That’s why he called, right? But why was this oppressive weight on his chest making it so hard? “Harry, he…he’s not here…”

“Oh, Eggsy love,” Roxy’s voice sounded worried and didn’t that just make him feel like a winner. “Harry is fine. You know that.”

“Yeah, I know he is.” Eggsy gripped the back of his head and crouched down in the hall, feeling entirely too small. “But, Rox, I should _be_ there. What if…what if-” The choked cry he barely stifled was cut off by Roxy’s harsh words.

“Gary Eggsy Unwin! You knock this off right this minute! You know better than anyone that Galahad can take care of himself. He’s going to be Arthur, for Christ sake! You’re going to work yourself into a state if you carry on like this.”

“I know, I know. But-”

“No BUTS!" A loud rush of air carried through the line, and Roxy came back sounding a bit more put together. "Eggsy, believe in him. He will be fine. Okay?”

Eggsy let out a shaky breath and dropped his hand from his head. “’Kay, Rox. I’m trusting you.”

A frustrated sigh came through the speaker loud and clear. “Don’t just trust me, you git. Trust him. It’ll all work out. Promise. Now, I need to go. You need to take care of yourself, okay? I can’t be there right now, so just do me this favor, yeah? Eat something, take a bath, _relax_.”

Shaking his head at the mothering, the blond stood back up and shuffled into the kitchen. “Alright, alright, you nagging woman.” A smile touched his lips at the sound of laughter through the line. 

“That’s more like the Eggsy I know. Be home soon, ‘kay?”

“’Kay. Be careful.”

“Always, love.” Roxy blew a kiss through the line before it went dead.

Eggsy looked down at the cell in his hand and felt the smile slowly crumble away. He was alone again. He looked around the empty, dark rooms and sighed. It’s not like it was the first time he had been alone. So why was it bothering him so much this time? 

Choosing to forego dinner, Eggsy moved toward the stairs and headed up to the bath. Filling the tub with steaming water, Eggsy submerged himself and watched the water turn the ceiling into a floating mass. Slowly rising back to the surface, the blond settled down and tried to relax his tense muscles. Instead of a quick soak, the blond ended up staring at the wall for well over an hour and finally realized he needed to towel off when he saw how pruny his skin had become and how cold the water was. 

About to open the door and let the chilly air freeze his naked skin, Eggsy paused when he noticed Harry’s robe hanging on the door. Feeling the soft heaviness of the fabric, the blond let himself indulge and encased himself in the robe. Eggsy couldn’t help smelling the collar and feeling safe being surrounded by Harry’s scent. 

Moving out of the bath, he headed into Harry’s bedroom and thought about turning on the lights. Eggsy already knew the layout. It wasn’t necessary and besides, the rest of the house was dark. What was one more room? 

The crisply made bed beckoned to him and Eggsy shuffled forward, hesitating to take off the robe. Instead, he pulled it closer around him and flopped onto the bed. A wave of exhaustion hit the blond and he closed his eyes, not wanting to move.

“Harry…come back home…”

~

Red, a harshly beautiful and blooming spike of terror made into a quagmire of senses.

Why was pain associated so keenly to the color? And red, most of all? Blue would show the deep well of sadness and green the desperation of freedom. Or black, the pit of despair that roiled inside and beckoned with its calming and deadly call. And white, the absolute of nothing, the stark brightness of never. 

A spectrum of color, made especially for the petite boy frozen with shock to the decrepit carpet of his grungy, childhood flat. Yet, Red was predominant in his surroundings. Red walls. Red carpet. Red furniture. Everything painted in viscous Red.

_Not again…please…_

Hastily taking in his surroundings, a small Gary “Eggsy” Unwin tried to coax his legs into moving, but his feet were stuck, fastened to the floor by nothing he could see. The cheap clock that was kept in the kitchen was abnormally loud, each strike bleeding dread into the boy. The acrid scent of alcohol festered in his nose and cheap cigarillo smoke permeated the air. 

“Have to leave…get out…get out…” The mantra tumbled from Eggsy’s lips, playing out to the staccato rhythm of his heart. Eggsy pulled at one of his pant legs and ripped a bit of the fabric. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he bent down and moved to his feet. Little Eggsy scratched at the floor and tugged at his grimy, little shoes. A loud scrape had the boy pausing in his frightened task, ears straining for any sound. 

A low, rumbling growl reached Eggsy’s ears, seizing his heart in a death grip. Holding his breath, the boy mechanically turned his head to the darkened hall. The shuffle thump of movement had the boy panicking for escape. 

“No…No, no-no…God no… _please_ -”

The frantic movements caused him to fall back, feet still rooted to the same spot. A hissing whistle filled the living room and a persistent scraping had Eggsy scrambling to move backward to no avail. 

“Please please! Move-damnit!” He slammed his tiny fists into his useless legs and felt the welling of tears begin. “Mum…MUM!”

The shushing whisper of fabric accompanied the caustic cackle that berated Eggsy’s pleas of rescue. “She can’t hear you, boy. No one can hear you scream.”  
Eggsy hiccupped back a sob as his eyes fixed on the figure emerging from the hall. Tall and thickly built, the form slowly took shape into his ex-stepfather, Dean. Crazed eyes bore into his frightened ones as Dean began laughing. A bottle was in one hand, recently broken and still miraculously holding some liquor. The manic figure lifted the bottle and drank from the sharp glass, ignoring the cuts that began to ooze black liquid. 

“-lp…” The words were barely a whisper as they passed Eggsy’s lips.

Dean barreled toward him, raising his empty hand. “Wha’ was that? SPEAK UP, BOY!” 

Eggsy put up his little hands to block his face and squeezed his eyes shut, letting his screams go. “HEEELP!!!!!” The first strike slammed his head into the floor and pain lanced through his skull. More punches landed on his petite form, every blow lighting up his body in agony.

“Can’t do a single DAMN THING, can you, BOY?! You COWARD! You’re USELESS, WORTHLESS!”

Eggsy could feel the decimating words begin to etch into his skin, flaming points of torture that pulled him further into his terror. “No. NO NO! Please…stop!” 

“It’s what you are, you know? You’re NOTHING!” Dean slammed the broken bottle into the little blonde’s gut, shredding the delicate skin and wrenching anguished screams from Eggsy’s hoarse throat. Tears flowed freely as he felt his body seize under the enormous amount of pressure. 

“You don’t get to leave, brat. You’re stuck here. With me.” 

The rancid, hot breath that touched Eggsy’s cheek made him retch. Eggsy turned his head and vomited. His vision was going, but he could still see red. Everything, red.

“You’re not even going to say ‘lo to your mum. You’re completely DISGUSTING.”

Eggsy’s vision flickered to the moving figure. Dean weaved on his feet, but remained standing. He was moving into the living room and was reaching for something. Eggsy tried pushing himself up, but his body was so heavy and it _hurt_. Dean had a fistful of blonde hair and was tugging a body up. 

“Mum?” Eggsy thought his tears were dried up but more spilled out. “MUM! 

Michelle was completely wrecked, face swollen and purple, body twisted at different angles. A gurgle from the crushed throat reached his ears and made Eggsy cry all the harder. “MUM! No! You bastard! WHY?!”

Dean’s cackling deafened out his terror induced rage. Eggsy couldn’t help it though. All of this, and for what? He screamed. He screamed as loud as he could, as much as his tiny lungs would let him. It wasn’t _fair_.

“You want FAIR?!” Dean pulled a gun from his waistband and pulled back the hammer, the succinct click click of it effectively silencing the room. He leveled the barrel at Michelle’s head and without preamble pulled the trigger.

Eggsy little body shook with the howling screams he unleashed as he watched the bullet rip through his mum’s head, splattering the Red room with Red gore. He clawed at the floor and felt his fingers break under his assault. His body thrashed, trying to get up, to do anything. 

Dean tossed the lifeless body onto the floor and stalked toward the stuck boy. Eggsy’s eyes were wild as he gnashed his teeth and howled up at the evil presence. Dean crouched down to his level and pressed the hot muzzle to Eggsy’s temple, burning his forehead. “Fair is you dying.”

Eggsy bared his teeth and screamed at the hateful figure. “FUCK YOU!” 

Dean pulled the trigger.

Eggsy screamed at the top of his lungs and felt his body spasm. He knew he was crying, but was unable to stop the flow of tears. A crushing force bound his arms and legs, and once again he couldn’t move. The thought made him cry harder and flail his arms and legs in an attempt to get free.

“EGGSY!!!”

Clawing, biting, kicking, screaming…nothing was working. Eggsy howled and shook at the force of his despair. 

“EGGSY! WAKE UP!”

His body was shaking…but he wasn’t doing it. What-?

“FOR GOD’S SAKES, OPEN YOUR EYES!”

Peeling open his eyes, Eggsy could see nothing but red. Red…and Harry. Eggsy moaned in defeat. “No-no. Not you. Please! NO!” He began to fight his bonds in earnest.

“EGGSY!” A resounding slap met the blonde’s cheek and snapped his head to the side. Jarred to the side, Eggsy saw the pale yellow lighting of the room and noticed it wasn’t his childhood flat. And nothing was truly red. 

“Wha-?” Warily looking back up, Eggsy saw Harry was still there above him, glasses askew, hair rumpled, and looking pissed as all get out.

“That’s what I should be asking of you, don’t you think? What the BLOODY HELL happened?”

Eggsy blinked up at the familiar face in shock and felt the hands holding him down. Glancing down, he saw Harry had straddled him and was bodily forcing him to stay still. Looking back up at that scowling face, Eggsy watched as Harry sighed. 

“Well? Do you have an explanation?”

Eggsy bit his lip and began to rapidly blink, trying and failing to hold the tears at bay. “’Arry…I thought…I didn’t-” Taking a shaky breath, the blond let some of the tears go, lacking the dexterity to hold back his raw emotions anymore. “’M sorry. ‘M so sorry.”

Confused by the rapid turn of events, Harry carefully removed his person from atop Eggsy and leaned next to the slightly hysterical blond. “Eggsy, I can think of nothing you should be apologizing for. Except for your terrible bedside manner.” 

Eggsy let out a hiccupping laugh before falling into another crying jag. Harry gently encircled the blonde’s wrist and tugged him into a hug. Lying back, Harry allowed Eggsy to seek comfort in his chest and he dutifully stroked his head. Harry glanced at the blond, quietly assessing him now that he was awake. 

The crying would come to an end in a few minutes and the tremors were finally starting to recede. But whatever happened this night was due to something mentally. That much Harry could see. Trying to coax the lad to speak of it though…Harry sighed. That would be a chore indeed.

Allowing Eggsy a few more minutes’ quiet respite, Harry geared himself up for the conversation ahead, continuing to rub the blonde’s back and murmur soft platitudes. As Eggsy stilled under his hand and calmed his crying, Harry allowed himself a small smile. He carefully moved the blond away from his chest and tried to meet Eggsy’s red and swollen eyes. The blond stared at his chest and refused to meet his gaze. Huffing out a laugh, Harry cupped the blonde’s chin and manually made Eggsy look at him. 

“Are you feeling better?”

Eggsy looked into the pleasant eyes he had come to associate with love and looked away. “Yeah. Sorry.”

Harry frowned, not liking Eggsy to withdraw from him now. “ _Eggsy_.” The blond winced at the tone and hesitantly looked back at Harry. “Would you like to explain what all of this was?”

Eggsy bit his lower lip and slowly shook his head. Harry sighed and removed his glasses, tossing them on the nightstand. “Coming into the house to find it completely barren of life was disconcerting to say the least. But to come upstairs and hear you screaming…well, that nearly did me in, Eggsy.”

Eggsy stilled and looked down forlornly. “I am sorry. Didn’t mean to do that to ya. Promise.”

Harry brushed his fingers through the tousled blond hair and huffed. “I know you didn’t. What I want to understand is why it happened. Do you think so little of me that you believe I will reject what you tell me, after everything we have gone through?”

“Wha?” Eggsy’s startled gaze locked on Harry’s. “No! I wouldn’t do that to you. Harry-”

The knight moved his hand to the blonde’s cheek and swooped in for chaste kiss. Eggsy felt his heart flutter and calm from the familiarity. Harry pulled back and gave a small smile. “Then talk to me, Eggsy. I will not judge you. You know that.”

Eggsy huffed and flopped back on the bed, acquiescing to the request. “Alright, but…just don’t laugh, yea?”

“After the thorough way you tried to brain me in your sleep, I wouldn’t dare,” Harry teased, settling down next to the blond.

“I am sorry ‘bout that part,” Eggsy winced, gauging Harry’s figure for any signs of discomfort. 

“No need. I did happen to get my own licks in, if you’ll recall.” Harry’s fingertips gently touched on his cheek, the reddened mark refusing to fade. “It was not my intention to awake you in such a manner.”

“Nah. Don’t worry. I can take it,” the blond grinned before letting his smile fall. “It's happened plenty before." Harry ground his teeth at the thought, but refused to acknowledge the point right then. He would need to make a few phone calls later to Merlin, if only to satisfy his own need to rectify the situation. Feeling Harry tense beneath him, Eggsy looked up to make sure it was alright to continue and saw Harry fix his attention back on the blond. A slight blush colored Eggsy's cheeks as his fingers picked at nonexistent lint on Harry's shirt. "It was a dream, mostly. Well, nightmare more like…”

“Do tell.”

Eggsy sighed and recounted his sorry tale to Harry, cuddling into the brunet’s side for comfort. Harry remained silent throughout the retelling, merely shifting them at one point to be more comfortable. Leaning back against the headboard, Harry pressed Eggsy against his side and stroked the blond’s back. When Eggsy came to the end of the dream, he glanced up at Harry and sighed. 

“It’s a bit silly now that I say it, you know?”

Harry nodded. “I understand. But I do not think it’s all that humorous, considering what your stepfather did to you and your mother.”

Eggsy shrugged and began to fidget with nervousness. “Yeah, but it was never that bad. Just took it and moved on. ‘Sides, it’s over and done with now. No need to worry ‘bout it anymore.”

“Hmm…if you say so.” The knight mentally catalogued the incidence for further analysis at a later time and turned his attention to something a little lighter. “I see you’re enjoying the use of my robe. How do you like it?”

Eggsy blushed a furious pink and stared down at the posh fabric. “It’s…um, well…I kinda sorta, missed you is all. I saw it in the bath and thought I could wear it for a bit, you know? Was gonna put it back.”

Laughter interrupted the terrible explanation and Eggsy pouted up at Harry. “’S not funny. ‘Arry!”

“But, my dear boy, it is quite hysterical. To come home and find you snuggled up in my robe of all things. Next, you’ll be in my drawers.” 

Eggsy crossed his arms, the pout getting bigger. “Already done that. Sorry to disappoint.”

Harry let out another laugh and wiped his eyes, always surprised to find how much he enjoyed teasing the young blond. “Ah, forgive me, Eggsy. I don’t mean it as a bad thing. In fact, I rather like you in my clothing.”

Eggsy glanced up at the brunet, not quite satisfied with the appeasment. “Yeah?”

Harry smiled ruefully and pressed a kiss to pouty lips. “Yes. It means I get to take them off of you as well.”

“Well,” Eggsy’s face broke out in a smile, as he turned to lie on Harry’s chest. “Ya should’ve started with that. And hey! How were you able to come home tonight? I thought you would’ve been gone for another day at least.”

Harry cradled the precious blond to him. “A very convenient message from the lovely Ms. Morton let me in on the situation.”

Eggsy looked up at the shining eyes suspiciously. “What’d she say?”

Harry sighed, acting like he was put upon by the whole affair. “Simply, that you needed me. And I was more than happy to comply with her wish for me to come to you at once.”

“Nosy girl,” Eggsy muttered, much to Harry’s chagrin. 

Harry pressed a kiss to Eggsy’s temple, stifling his laughter. “She is a good friend to you. Treat her kindly. If it wasn’t for her, I would not be here now and you would still be alone.”

Eggsy frowned and sank back into his thoughts. Was he so desperate not to be alone? Was that the root of it all? “I’ll have to thank her tomorrow.”

“That you should,” Harry moved the blonde and stood up beside the bed, stretching his back. “Now, what do you think about getting ready for bed properly this time?” He began unbuttoning his shirt and removing his cuff links. 

Eggsy smiled and stood as well, letting the robe fall to the ground. “Already ahead of you, guv.”

When Harry glanced over his shoulder, he felt the breath leave his lungs at the sight of Eggsy’s supple and very naked form. “Cheeky minx.”

“I can show you how cheeky…”

Harry grinned and ran his hand through his hair. “You will be the death of me yet, Eggsy Unwin.”

Eggsy began to crawl on the bed toward Harry and smiled. “As long as you take me with you.”

Harry shook his head and reached out to run his hand through those blond locks. “I will never leave you alone as long as I am able, Eggsy. That is my promise to you.”

Eggsy looked down, taking the well of emotions that caused and holding them in. “Love you, ‘Arry.”

Harry bent down and grabbed the blond into a hug. “And I you, dear Eggsy. I you.”

Tangled up in those wonderfully warm and living limbs of Harry Hart’s, Eggsy slept like the world would not end and Dean would not haunt his nights alone. Not as long as he had Harry to protect him. And when he didn’t, well…he would have to learn to fight all over again, now wouldn’t he?

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first time writing Hartwin and I hope it delivers.


End file.
